Godden Does It Again

Charlie Keitch completed his 50th Parkrun at Colchester Rugby Club on Saturday morning. A time of 19 minutes 3 seconds saw Keitch once again inside the top ten. A total of twenty four times since his first run in 2013. His Parkrun personal best (PB) of 18m 45s was gained on 6th September 2014. Also up and out early was Meera Rajoo-Oakley, 21m 18 (PB), Chusa Batista 23m 43s (PB), silver standard, Paul Hollidge 23m 53s and Anthea Colsell 24m 20s. Over in Dovercourt, Malcolm Jarvis ( 23m 4s) and Rachel Giles ( 23m 52s) participated in the fifth running of the Harwich 5k distance. Jarvis was beaten into twelfth position by Phil Sanderson and Dennis Warner both of Harwich RC. Giles placed seventeenth out of a total of fifty five runners.

Sunday saw a number of “Barmy Bentonians” take on a cross country obstacle run “Only Fools Ride Horses”. The 4 or 8 mile course had participants challenge themselves over more than twenty obstacles through water and woodland. Ladies Captain Vicky Presland completed the 8 mile distance in 8th place. Linzi Iddon, John Bush and Helene Tyler were also along for the ride.

By mid morning on the Island of Mersea, the annual Mersea Lions 5 and 10 mile event was again under way. Great Bentley ladies placed third in the 10 mile team event, Caroline Searle (1hr 32m 28s), Simone Lindsey (1hr 34m 5s) and Alison Clarke (1hr 43m 39s). Also racing for GBRC was Sue Sorrell, crossing the finish line in 46m 47s. Donning her bootcamp colours for the 5 mile event was Sam Godden. Godden was first lady home and twelfth overall in a inspriring time of 34m 38s. A time that sees her gain ninth place on the GBRC top ten performance list for this distance. Two of Bentley’s finest also packed passports and visas for a trip across the strood. Clive Thomas was unfortunately beaten into second place by Paul Dobson (59m 15s) of Springfield Striders. Thomas who is five years senior to Dobson, finished in 65m 5s, placing 13th overall. Great Bentley Chairman Russ Sharp, was 15th overall and 12th in the men’s open category with a time of 65m 50s.